William (Bill) Edmiston was a farmer almost all of his life--farming five years in the Hull, IL bottoms and over 25 years on the Kinderhook Hill Farms. In his earlier years he had been a laborer and worked for the railroad. In addition to farming he worked for Koeller Orchards, poured concrete in 1952 and 1956 to build the silos for D B Gray Elevator in Hull, IL, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, did custom farming for others, and drove a propane gas delivery truck. Even though he only had an 8th grade education (Collins School near Barry, IL), he drew the plans and built all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm except for the house. He loved to hunt and fish as well as look for mushrooms (he was one of the best in finding them). He was married to Doretta Lucille Keim Edmiston (February 12,1949). He had two daughters, Nancy and Cathy, 7 grandchildren, and 1 great grandson when he passed away.
2-15-2018
My daddy was a self made man. He had an 8th grade education because he was needed to work. I found his school papers when we cleaned out my parents' house. He was a straight A student. He went to Chicago for WWII, but was sent home because it turned out that he was legally blind in one eye (injury at birth). He labored for others including the railroad (I found from his income tax returns), worked for the apple orchards in Barry, poured concrete to build the silos at DB Gray Elevator in Hull in 1952 and again in 1956, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, farmed in the Hull bottoms and on the Kinderhook Hill Farms, custom farmed for others, rode a horse when I was little and I wondered how he knew how (I have since decided that he grew up knowing how to ride a horse), drove a propane gas truck, drew his own blue prints for all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm and built them except the house built in 1969. He hunted, fished, and knew where to find mushrooms and when a certain tree might be ready to look under. He also fixed his own machinery if possible--he taught himself to weld. He may have not done it the way the teacher wanted, but he could do math better than me and could explain how he did it too :)))) He tried to teach me all the trees and birds, and I probably should have listened better. Happy 93rd Birthday in heaven, Dad! Love and miss you!
2-15-2018
My daddy was a self made man. He had an 8th grade education because he was needed to work. I found his school papers when we cleaned out my parents' house. He was a straight A student. He went to Chicago for WWII, but was sent home because it turned out that he was legally blind in one eye (injury at birth). He labored for others including the railroad (I found from his income tax returns), worked for the apple orchards in Barry, poured concrete to build the silos at DB Gray Elevator in Hull in 1952 and again in 1956, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, farmed in the Hull bottoms and on the Kinderhook Hill Farms, custom farmed for others, rode a horse when I was little and I wondered how he knew how (I have since decided that he grew up knowing how to ride a horse), drove a propane gas truck, drew his own blue prints for all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm and built them except the house built in 1969. He hunted, fished, and knew where to find mushrooms and when a certain tree might be ready to look under. He also fixed his own machinery if possible--he taught himself to weld. He may have not done it the way the teacher wanted, but he could do math better than me and could explain how he did it too :)))) He tried to teach me all the trees and birds, and I probably should have listened better. Happy 93rd Birthday in heaven, Dad! Love and miss you!
William (Bill) Edmiston was a farmer almost all of his life--farming five years in the Hull, IL bottoms and over 25 years on the Kinderhook Hill Farms. In his earlier years he had been a laborer and worked for the railroad. In addition to farming he worked for Koeller Orchards, poured concrete in 1952 and 1956 to build the silos for D B Gray Elevator in Hull, IL, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, did custom farming for others, and drove a propane gas delivery truck. Even though he only had an 8th grade education (Collins School near Barry, IL), he drew the plans and built all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm except for the house. He loved to hunt and fish as well as look for mushrooms (he was one of the best in finding them). He was married to Doretta Lucille Keim Edmiston (February 12,1949). He had two daughters, Nancy and Cathy, 7 grandchildren, and 1 great grandson when he passed away.
2-15-2018
My daddy was a self made man. He had an 8th grade education because he was needed to work. I found his school papers when we cleaned out my parents' house. He was a straight A student. He went to Chicago for WWII, but was sent home because it turned out that he was legally blind in one eye (injury at birth). He labored for others including the railroad (I found from his income tax returns), worked for the apple orchards in Barry, poured concrete to build the silos at DB Gray Elevator in Hull in 1952 and again in 1956, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, farmed in the Hull bottoms and on the Kinderhook Hill Farms, custom farmed for others, rode a horse when I was little and I wondered how he knew how (I have since decided that he grew up knowing how to ride a horse), drove a propane gas truck, drew his own blue prints for all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm and built them except the house built in 1969. He hunted, fished, and knew where to find mushrooms and when a certain tree might be ready to look under. He also fixed his own machinery if possible--he taught himself to weld. He may have not done it the way the teacher wanted, but he could do math better than me and could explain how he did it too :)))) He tried to teach me all the trees and birds, and I probably should have listened better. Happy 93rd Birthday in heaven, Dad! Love and miss you!
2-15-2018
My daddy was a self made man. He had an 8th grade education because he was needed to work. I found his school papers when we cleaned out my parents' house. He was a straight A student. He went to Chicago for WWII, but was sent home because it turned out that he was legally blind in one eye (injury at birth). He labored for others including the railroad (I found from his income tax returns), worked for the apple orchards in Barry, poured concrete to build the silos at DB Gray Elevator in Hull in 1952 and again in 1956, dug graves at Kinderhook Cemetery with Clarence Moore, farmed in the Hull bottoms and on the Kinderhook Hill Farms, custom farmed for others, rode a horse when I was little and I wondered how he knew how (I have since decided that he grew up knowing how to ride a horse), drove a propane gas truck, drew his own blue prints for all the buildings on the Kinderhook Hill Farm and built them except the house built in 1969. He hunted, fished, and knew where to find mushrooms and when a certain tree might be ready to look under. He also fixed his own machinery if possible--he taught himself to weld. He may have not done it the way the teacher wanted, but he could do math better than me and could explain how he did it too :)))) He tried to teach me all the trees and birds, and I probably should have listened better. Happy 93rd Birthday in heaven, Dad! Love and miss you!
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